News Detail

Rezin calls for Auditor General Frank Mautino to step aside

6/4/2016

State Sen. Sue Rezin issued the following statement in response to confirmation the U.S. Attorney’s Office is now investigating Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino for improper use of campaign funds while he was a state legislator.

“In the short time I have been in the Illinois Senate, then State Rep. Frank Mautino and I developed a good working relationship, as we both represented the same constituents.

“With that said, the Office of Auditor General is supposed to be the state’s watchdog, responsible for making sure state government is accountable, transparent, and honest to taxpayers.

“But with this now public federal investigation, I believe Auditor General Mautino can no longer serve in this capacity. So, I am calling for him to step aside – without pay – while the investigation continues.

“The people of Illinois deserve honest government. So, until the investigation is resolved, I believe the best course of action for the people of Illinois is for Auditor General Mautino to take an unpaid leave of office while the federal investigation is under way.

“This is a sad day for the Illinois Valley and the state of Illinois.”

The Illinois State Board of Elections has also requested Mautino provide more information on his campaign expenditures, which are the subject of a citizen complaint. State lawmakers had also demanded more information from the Auditor General about his campaign spending, which included more than $200,000 on gas and repairs at a single local service station, as well as payments to a local bank for services seemingly unrelated to banking.